GDT: 2022-23 season game 66 LA Kings vs Colorado Avalanche @6:00pm 3/9/23

[Fishhead]

The only issue I have right now with McLellan is MacEwen, and i guess it goes to Blake too. This guy sucks as a hockey player, can’t skate, can’t shoot, can’t pass. He’s got a busted jaw so he can’t even fight. Why is he in the lineup? I agree Kaliyev wasn’t looking hot but I rather have JAD or Grundstrom in there.

Makes me wonder if Lemieux was a locker room issue or wanted to be closer to home/family (no idea where that is). Just very shocked by that trade.

Claude lives in HB, saw him a few times downtown. Unless his old man tried to bite him

 

[bouncesonly]

He's definitely choked a lot in the playoffs.

I remember Sutter coaching some good SJ teams, who also choked in the playoffs. And Calgary too, they went to the finals and were really good the next season. Choked again. Hell, I remember his first year coaching when the Kings went to the finals way back when. I figured if they won the Smythe they would get smoked by Chicago, they were dominant and the best in the conference. Pulverized in the first round by 4th place St. Louis.

TM doesn't have a great track record in the playoffs, but neither did Sutter and he coached some damn good teams. Finally won on his 11th try. Todd's on his 8th, think of it as being due.

Took Barry Trotz 11 tries to coach a Cup winning team.

 

[kingsfan28]

Solid win tonight. could've been much bigger score had the pp tried a little bit. Refs were trash in the 2nd. Hated that knee on knee play. That's usually an automatic major or even a match when it's that bad. We've seen it called for much less. both refs saw it too, and didn't do a damn thing. They spent 10 min in the last game over a possible stick foul, yet a visual play like the got nothing. Then that crap in front of the net and Walker is the only guy who get a penalties. Held the lead and never let them back into the game. 5-2 win felt good in the end. FU Avs!

Kings +8 now.

 

[SherVaughn30]

With this team when and IF healthy can beat any team in the west IMO. Just comes down to Todd not being an idiot which is asking a lot tbh

There is one area that could be an Achilles Heel. The PK. It improved after Copley was called up, but it still has some weakness that could lose a series playing against a good PP team like the Oilers.

 

[Steve Zissou]

The only issue I have right now with McLellan is MacEwen, and i guess it goes to Blake too. This guy sucks as a hockey player, can’t skate, can’t shoot, can’t pass. He’s got a busted jaw so he can’t even fight. Why is he in the lineup? I agree Kaliyev wasn’t looking hot but I rather have JAD or Grundstrom in there.

Reminds me of Westgarth lite but with slightly better puck handling skills, which is not saying much.

Is the clapping after a fight something to look forward to in the future?

 

[TwzKing]

I guess that's good news on fiala

 

[BigBrown]

5-2 against the champs, love to see it.

Hope Fiala is okay though.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

This team is playing very solid hockey right now.

 

[aceofpace]

Seattle lost in regulation today for some needed cushion. Our next 7 games are all at home and are against Nashville, NY Islanders, Columbus, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg and St. Louis. We can't afford NOT to amass points during this homestand.

 

[BringTheReign]

Heh

That’s so Kings

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

The team still has a +3 goal differential and TM has yet to win a playoff round. As the highest paid coach in the league, there are expectation of him, he also has a history with the fanbase from his time in San Jose and Edmonton. It's not really a miserable thing, it's a message board my man. If everyone just thought Blake/Luc/TMac were perfect it would be pretty damn boring.

+8, but ok....TM has yet to win a playoff round, ok sure....can we actually GET to the playoffs first though, or are you just talking about his entire career? Asking because everyone seemingly believes it's so damn easy to win in the NHL......

The Kings are what, 25-8-3 or something like that going over 3 months, and people are losing their mind over who is playing who is not.....sorry, that's just bitching to bitch.....

 

[LAKings88]

He's definitely choked a lot in the playoffs.

I remember Sutter coaching some good SJ teams, who also choked in the playoffs. And Calgary too, they went to the finals and were really good the next season. Choked again. Hell, I remember his first year coaching when the Kings went to the finals way back when. I figured if they won the Smythe they would get smoked by Chicago, they were dominant and the best in the conference. Pulverized in the first round by 4th place St. Louis.

TM doesn't have a great track record in the playoffs, but neither did Sutter and he coached some damn good teams. Finally won on his 11th try. Todd's on his 8th, think of it as being due.

I’ve come around to liking TMac. I am still concerned with past trends but I hope he has learned. Easy to nitpick from my chair at home. NHL coaching is a retread machine. Boston’s coach was out of the NHL not long ago. Their fired coach led Vegas to the top of the West. Most coaches seem like mercenaries. Guess it’s always been that way really.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Walker with some impressive ice time yesterday.

Looking forward to some offseason roster surgery.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

maaaaaaaaaaaad

not the kings fault that the entire avs strategy was "run it down main" and the puck got poked off their stick every time until they decided to dump and chase when the game was out of reach

MacKinnon and Makar particularly wanted to stickhandle all the way in from their blueline and were surprised pikachu the Kings wouldn't oblige

I mean it works more often than not but I'm a little surprised he was so pissy about it

Relatedly remember when the Canadiens were doing the flying V with nothing to lose and it was so easy because they didn't give a f*** if they turned it over? This is what it looks like when a team with something to play for attempts the same.

TM doesn't appear to have changed anything but we did get roster changes, so yeah I think Blake, right now, is deserving of some credit. And keep in mind, Durzi was taken away from TM through injury.

Without running thru my concerns as usual I'm going to say both guys deserve some pretty high praise for where we are at and attacking some of the problems head-on.

Yet the concerns are STILL the concerns, good play doesn't erase the criticism, which was always more about process (pipeline, development, vision) than immediate results. It was just exacerbated when the results sucked too.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Good to see them play a strong game against possibly the favorite in the West. Hopefully the team has found it's identity and continues to grow. So far the TDL adds have really paid dividends. Keep the puck headed in this direction and don't let off the gas. Let's go!

 

[King'sPawn]

Walker didn't even get double-digit minutes? Yikes.

 

[Trash Panda]

Walker didn't even get double-digit minutes? Yikes.

For what it’s worth, I do think the minutes he played alongside Spence were some of his better this season.

I still think the guy just has to be the odd man out. There isn’t any other option.

 

[Dykstra]

Any news on Fiala?

 

[mysterman2]

Was critical of Tmac early in the season and still baffled at some of his decisions or non-decisions.

That said- cant argue with the results and a better roster and better goaltending paying dividends.
Hope Fiala injury is minor and as mentioned- great stretch of schedule with home games against weaker opponents.

Vegas has Carolina Saturday and the next stretch with 2 vs Calgary and 2 vs Edmonton. Will be watching the games vs the Pacific hoping they turn into outright wars and physical games. The joy of hockey is watching 2 teams you hate beat the shit of each other.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Claude lives in HB, saw him a few times downtown. Unless his old man tried to bite him

Huntington Beach or Hermosa Beach?

 

[chris kontos]

Huntington Beach or Hermosa Beach?

hyperion sewage outfall

 

[fsanford]

+8, but ok....TM has yet to win a playoff round, ok sure....can we actually GET to the playoffs first though, or are you just talking about his entire career? Asking because everyone seemingly believes it's so damn easy to win in the NHL......

The Kings are what, 25-8-3 or something like that going over 3 months, and people are losing their mind over who is playing who is not.....sorry, that's just bitching to bitch.....

I think only the Bruins have a better record during that time.

 

[RocketKing]

Shut him down a few games with the Kings at home for the next 2 weeks. Need him 100% down the home stretch.

Completely agree. Nothing needed or to be gained playing him until he passes leg tests without any residual swelling or pain. The team is rolling and it will give others a chance to step up as well. When he’s fully 100% then let him rip.

 

[Fishhead]

Huntington Beach or Hermosa Beach?

Huntington.

Because I've seen Brendan after a practice in the preseason, I'm proud to say I've seen the only father/son pair in NHL history to be suspended for biting close up and in the flesh. Wasn't on my bucket list, but whatever.

 

[Schrute farms]

It's amazing what a difference a real goalie, a real LHD (with size), playing GV, playing Byfield (& w/ good linemates) can make. Not to mention playing spence; not playing Kopi a million minutes, etc.

Still some odd decisions. But it's FINALLY getting less. I still applaud the Kings players over TM or Blake.
For TM, i'll applaud him if we can win a series and make a run. History is not on his side. Hopefully he's learned a thing or two after all these years and this time it'll be different.